Knife.



No. 7Io5,44,|.y Patented July 22, |902;

N. vE. PUTN EY.

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UNITED VSTATES PATENTg-FFICE.

NEWTON EZRA PUTNEY, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming' pari', Of Letters Patent NO. 705,441, dated July 22, 1902.

Application filed March 15,1902. Serial No. 98,324. (No modelfi T0 a/ZZ whom, it may concern/'.-

Be it known that I, NEWTON EZRA PUTNEY, a citizen of the United States,.,and a resident of Southbridge, in the county of Vorcester and/'State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Knife, of Which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to tools-such as knives, awls, and the like-having slidable blades or shanks;,and the object of thein-l vention is to provide a new and improved knife which is simple and durable'in construction and arranged toenable the usertoY readily manipulate the knife With one hand to bring the blade into an active cutting position or'to conceal the blade to prevent possible injury by persons coming in contact withl the knife.

The invention'consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in' the accompanying drawings, forming a part of `this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improvement,showing the knife-blade in an open position. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same,showing the blade concealed. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4L is an enlarged cross-section showingthe blade exposed and locked in position'. y

The handle A of the knife is formed with a longitudinally -eXtending recess A', into which ts a metallic lining B, preferably tubular in shape, open at the outer end and contracted at the inner end, as at B, to engage a transverse pin C, secured in the handle A, so as to hold the said metallic lining in position. On the pin C is also secured the inner end of the shank D of the knife-blade D, adapted to be concealed within a sheath E, formed with atubular extension E,mount ed to slide longitudinally in the lining B. The inner end of this tubular eXtensionE is provided with a head E2, against which presses one end of a coil-spring F, resting at its other lzspring serving to move the tubular extension E' and its sheath E into an outermost position for the sheath to conceal or inclose the knifef blade D. On the outer end of the extension E at one side of the sheath E is secured or formed a finger-piece E3, adapted to be taken .hold of with onefinger of the hand having hold ofthe handleA, so as to press on the finger-piece, and thereby slide the sheath E Aand its extension E inwardly against the tension of the spring F'. Now in doingso the sheath E uncovers the knife-blade D.

In order to lock the sheathE and its tubular extension E in an innermost position, I employ a spring-catch G, adapted to pass tubular extension E to engage the Wall of the said opening to hold the extension E and its sheath E in a locked innermost position, as plainly shown in Figs. l and 4. The opening E4 is located on the side of the sheath opposite the one having the finger-piece E3, so thatthe operator can press the spring-catch G with another finger of the same hand having hold of the handle A to move the said spring-catch out of engagement with the wall of the opening E4 at the time it is desired to release the spring-pressed sheath E and its extension for the sheath to move outward and cover the knife-blade D.

The shank G 0f the spring-catch G is riveted or otherwise fastened to the shank D of the knife-blade D, and the catch is curved to readily enter the opening E4 at the time the sheath Eand its extension E is pushed i11- Ward by the operator pressing the fingerpiece E3, as before explained, so that the spring-catch readily snaps into position on the Wall of the opening E4 to hold the sheath in an innermost position.

This knife is very serviceable for use in stores to cut twine or for use by carpenters and other mechanics, it being understood that after the knife hasbeen used for its legitimate purpose then the operator presses the spring-catch Gto release the sheathE, so that the latter conceals the knife-bladeD, and the user can now readily place the knife in a and VWithout danger of possible injury to the usen through an opening E4 in the outer end ofthe pocket Without danger of cutting-the same' IOO The knife is very simple and durable in construction and composed of comparatively few parts notliable to easily get ont of order.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A knife, comprising a handle, a blade fixed therein, a sheath for the blade, having an integral tubular extension mounted to slide in the said handle, a spring-catch for locking the sheath in position at the time the knife-blade is exposed, and aspring pressing the sheath, to move the same over the blade, for concealing the latter at the time the said spring-catch is unlocked, as set forth.

2. A knife, comprising a handle, a blade xed therein, a sheath for the blade, having an integral tubular extension mounted to slide in the said handle, a spring-catch for locking the sheath in position at the time the knife-blade is exposed, a spring pressing the sheath, to move the same over the blade, for concealing the latter at the time the said spring-catch is unlocked, and a nger-piece on the sheath, located on the side opposite the one engaged by the said spring-catch, to allow the operator to press the finger-piece with one finger of the hand having hold of the handle, while the spring-catch is manipulated by another finger of the same hand, as set forth.

3. A knife, comprising a handle having a recess, a pin extending transversely through the recess, a tubular lining fitted in the said recess and held on the said pin, asheath having a tubular extension mounted to slide in the said lining, a spring pressing the said sheath extension, and a spring-catch carried on the shank of the blade, adapted to engage the said sheath extension, to lock the latter in position against the tension of the spring, as set forth.

4. A knife, comprising a handle having a recess, a pin extending transversely through the recess, a tubular lining fitted in the said recess and held on the said pin, asheath having a tubular extension mounted to slide in the said lining, a spring pressing the said sheath extension, a spring-catch carried on the shank of the blade, adapted to engage the said sheath extension, to 'lock the latter in position against the tension of the spring, the said spring-catch extending through an opening in the said sheath extension, and a iinger-piece on the said sheath extension, l0- eated on the side opposite the one engaged by the said spring-catch, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NEWTON EZRA PUTNEY.

Vitnesses:

Mosns A. BURRELL, ARTHUR C. LABELLE. 

